This was one of the most satisfying gourmet dates we have had in recent times

The Puffed grain salad gives you the perfect crunch with amazing taste

In a scenario where restaurants are changing their lists of exotic dishes and outlandish drinks almost every week in order to seek guests’ attention, one cannot undermine the popularity of a special menu at an outlet that has got the extension of a month, or maybe more. We are talking about Superfood Festival, being hosted at Cafe Delhi Heights’ Sangam Courtyard outlet in Delhi. Last week, we were there to check out their much-hyped menu, crafted by nutritionist Kavita Devgan that has put spotlight on ’25 traditional superfoods and their super powers.’ We were grieving to taste the menu almost on the concluding day of May but then came the good news. “We have just received the confirmation on extending this fest by another month,” said the elated representative from CDH, sitting next to Devgan, who personally guided us on this traditional culinary affair.

On this note, one of our colleagues, a fan of salads, suggested to begin with ‘puffed grain salad’. This included puffed rice, puffed paddy, roasted amaranth and fifteen more healthy ingredients which gave a mix of ‘sweet and sour’ taste with just the right crunch in every bite. The salad was complemented by drinks, the Sabja Lemonade and the Masala Sattu. The sabja (basil) seeds turned out to be a good companion of lemonade, leaving behind a small tinge. “Drinking this gets you a lot of anti-oxidents, which slows down ageing,” informed Devgan as we sipped the drink, and immediately hopped on to Masala Sattu. This was a fusion of the Coast with Bihar. Sattu, made out of roasted chick pea, which has its origins in Bihar, has been mixed with coconut. So, you get to drink protein and hydrate your body with electrolytes, with the coconut water. It has a very distinct tangy taste. A must try!

Next in line was tikki chaat made with sweet potato. This is a healthier option than a regular tikki. In it, sweet potato is a major component with an army of chickpea around, submerged in curd and tamarind chutney. Sweet potato is an underrated food. Everybody thinks it gets you fat. But the truth states it is better than potato anyday. “This is because it has very slow release of carbohydrates, so your blood sugar level doesn’t shoot up,” said Devgan. This tikki was healthy, was great to taste, but most importantly it was very tender. It went with the flavours of the chutney homogeneously.

Everything in the menu was refreshing. I got a chance to have something that I had never had before. It was a cold soup made of cucumber and yoghurt, called the Sarki, a lentil and cucumber soup. It was a blend of sour taste with the perfect amount of salt. Just of a sip of it would refresh you to knock the sun out. “Soup is a very nice way to have nutrients,” told the curator of the menu.

It was the ‘main course time, a powerhouse of nutrients. It kicked off with the moong dal medley. The moong dal, known for its high protein content, is served with whole wheat roti stuffed with sattu, and bajra roti. The dish, we were told, helps the body get stronger and and reduces cholesterol. More than that, the dish in itself is like a full meal. Devgan wanted us to pay attention to a small bowl put beside the dish on the table. The bowl had raw onion and green chilli. She told us that eating raw onion protects us from seasonal viruses. “Onion is essential for the climate that we live in, and it keeps us cool.” Green chilli, she added, helps slow down ageing and it is rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin A, C, E and K.

We had a repetition of bajra in another form. It was a Rajashtani dish: Bajre ki khichadi. Once you have a dose of it, this will become your favourite khichadi, but that is not its best part. It is the flavour and taste of desi ghee that comes with it.

Even though there was no space to adjust more food in our tummy, we couldn’t conquer the journey without desserts. Their ‘Trinity Halwa’ included the beet root halwa, broccoli halwa and pumpkin halwa. Served like a canvas (platter) with multiple hues, the dessert has distinct taste of vegetables it was made of. Pumpkin was to die for! The other dessert that we had was the Quinoa Kheer, which had the right amount of sweetness and a grainy texture.

With so much of food, and that too traditional items with some laced with desi ghee, one definitely worries about the amount of incoming calories. But Devgan claimed her menu is healthier in comparison to what most restaurants in the city are offering. The fact that the menu mentions the calories intake makes it easier for foodies to control the diet.

Overall, we can safely say that this was one of the most satisfying gourmet dates we have had in the recent time. Traditional food items are the flavour of the season and the CDH outlet here is encouraging the trend. Additionally, the booklet of the menu comes with 14 recipes, which in itself is an excuse to attend the festival. Go and enjoy the meal!

We also did live Facebook interaction with Kavita Devgan, which became an instant hit on social media. In this video below, she is explaining thoroughly the significance of traditional food. Check out the video below:

The nutritionist was too kind, to pose for some selfies and random clicks post treating us with the amazing meal.